Fokou will provide McCarthy competition

Coaches like his work ethic and ability. Teammates love his relentless approach. In just his second season, McCarthy was voted a team captain in 2012.

But there’s no ignoring this: McCarthy has had trouble staying healthy. There’s no guarantee he’ll clear the injury hurdle in 2013.

Enter Moise Fokou.

The Titans signed Fokou, formerly with the Colts, to a two-year, $2.8 million contract on Wednesday, a deal that included a $300,000 bonus. He’s a free agent they targeted and went after aggressively.

The Titans want Fokou to challenge McCarthy for the starting spot at middle linebacker. If he doesn’t beat McCarthy then the Titans think they’ll be far better off than they were last season when McCarthy went down.

McCarthy missed nine games. He dealt with an ankle injury early and a concussion late. The Titans fared poorly without him.

Fokou, who played his first three seasons with the Eagles, is a guy the Titans believe is capable of playing middle linebacker well. He’s also versatile enough to play the other linebacker spots, and he’s been a key special teams performer over the years. The Steelers, among others, also wanted Fokou.

There’s no question McCarthy is the favorite at middle linebacker heading into the season. The Titans expect Fokou to be in the mix there as well.